John v



J. V. H. DITMARS.

COMBINED EASY CHAIR. AND GOUCH.

(No Model.)

No. 325,326. Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

VM mwleu @NAW UNITED Sterns JOHN V. Il. DTMARS,

Arent trice..

OF N'EXV YORK, N. Y.

GPECIPICATON 'leuning part of Letters Patent No. 325,326, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed July l1, 1885. (Nomodel.)

'o @ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN V. H. DITMARs, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Easy-Chair and Couch; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is :t side elevation of the frame of my improved easy-chair and folding couch before it is upholstered, and when closed to forni the chair. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in perspective when opened out to forni a couch.

The object ot' my invention is to obtain in simpler form than heretofore a comfortable easyehaiixwhich may be readily opened out to form in itself a comfortable couch or loungeA To this end the back of the chair is hinged to the rear of the body-frame, so as to admit of being swung` down into ahorizontal plane,and a seat-traine corresponding in dimensions to the body-frame is pivoted to its front edge to fold over upon the body-f1a1ne,and to open out into the same horizontal plane therewith to serve as au extension thereof. The hinged back is formed in two sections also hinged together, and which are so arranged, as hereinafter described, as that the outer section shall, when the back is opened out, automatically assume an inclined position as the inner see tion attains the horizontal plane, and thereby serve as a headpiece for the couch.

A A represent the body-frame supported at its four corners upon suitable legs, B B B B;

C- C, a counterpart seat-frame of same dirneu.-

sions, adapted to be superimposed upon thel body-frame,and which is hinged theretogtt the front edge thereof, by flat hinges a (t, which permit the seatframe to open out,with its upper surface in the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the body-frame, and to serre as an extension thereof.

'The arms D D of the chair are secured to the side bars of the seat-frame C O, and are made of a height corresponding to the length of the legs B B of the body, so that when the seat-frame-is opened out (seeFig. 2) the arms will rest upon the door and support the seatframe, the body-frame and seat-frame being brought thereby with their upper surfaces in the same horizontal plane, as shown in Fig.2.

rllhe back of the chair is constructed in two sections, E E and E E', of the same width as the body and seat l'ra1ne,but ol' unequal length. These two sections are hinged together, and the inner longer section, E E, is hinged to the back edge of the body-frame A A by dat hinges Z1 b, corresponding to the hinges e a ot' the seatfranie C C, so as to permitsaid backframe to drop into a horizontal plane to form an extension of the body-frame, in the saine manner as does the seat-frame C O.

Upon each side of the inner sections, E E, of the back, a leg, F, preferably made of a. thin stout plate ot' metal, is pivoted at its upper inner end to the side bar of the section, a short distance inside of thehinged joint of said bar with the outer section, E E. This pivoted leg F is coupled with the side of the body- Yframe by means of a side bar or link, G, pivoted to the body-frame, or to its rear leg a short distance below the hinged joint of the back therewith, and to the leg F a short dis tance below or outside of its pivotal connection to the back-frame.

The coupling bar orlink G is so adjusted in length as that when the back-frame is turned up in position to form a baclefraine for the chair, the leg F willV be drawn into line paral lol with the side ba r of the section E E; hence when the back-framedrops, or is swung down upon its hinges to the level ofthe body-frame A A, the leg F is made to swing out into a position at. right angles to the section E E of the back-traine, and reaching the iloor will serve as a support therefor.

A second coupling bar or link, H, is pivoted to an arm, K, projecting from the outer side ofthe swinging leg F, and is made to engage the outer sections, E E', of the baevlnby means of a lateral pin, i, projecting from theside bar of said section through a slot in the end of the link H, hence, when the leg F swings out as the back drops, this coupling-bar will rmore over the pini to the length of its slot, whereupon the further movement of the back, as it approaches a horizontal position,will operate to turn up the outer section, EE', into an inclined position, and when the leg F touches the fioor the bar Hwill serve as a brace to support this outer or head section in its inclined position. )Vhen the back is swung up,the engagement of the bar H with the outer section will cause it to swing out automatically into the same plane as the inner section, E E, (see Fig. 1,) so that when the back-frame is folded up to form the back of the chair its two sections will be as one piece. The back, when swung up, is secured by means of two hooks, L L, which projecting from the legs F F are engaged by swinging links M M, pivoted upon the inner ends of the arms D D, so as to drop out and project horizontally therefrom when the arms are brought into position on the chair, (see Fig. 1,) but which willdrop closely against theends of the arms when they are z vthrown over upon the fioor to support the seat-fraaie in position for the couch. (See Fig. 2.) rlhe links M M are supported in their horizontal position when the arms are on the chair (see Fig. 1 by means of lugs fr o, projectirg Centrally from thehinge by which the links are pivoted. As the back is swung up against the ends ofthe arms to complete the chair, the hooks L L, automatically pass under these links M M, and becoming` engaged thereby will thus lock the back to the seatframe.

The transverse bars of the frames A A C C and E E E E are preferably curved, as shown in the drawings, Fig. 2, to facilitate the upholstering of the combined chair and couch.

The complete folding frame thus constructed to serve as a chair or couch is strong, simple, and compactin all its parts, and when properly upholstered constitutes a neat comfortable chair, readily convertible into an equally neat and comfortable couch or lounge.

I claim as my invention- 1. Thecombinatiomwiththebody-framesupported upon four legs, of aseatt`ranie pivoted to the front edge of the bodyframe to fold over thereon and open out therefrom, and which is justed and stayed at an anglewith the first by a slotted link connecting it with said leg, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the body frame, and with the back-frame hinged thereto, constructed in two sections hinged together, of legs pivoted laterally to the outer end oftheinner section, links coupling said legs each to the body-frame below its hinged joint with.the back, and slotted links pivoted to offsets projecting from said legs and engaging each by means of its slot a pin upon the side ofthe outer hinged section, substantially in the manner and for the pnrpose'herein set forth.

3. The combinatiomin a combined chairand couch with the body-frame, the legs pivoted laterally to the back-frame,which is'hinged to the rear edge ofthe body-frame, the seat-frame hinged to the front edge of the bodyframe, and the inner ends of the arms fixed upon said seatframe, of links hinged to theinner end of said arms, to drop open by their weight when the arms are in position upon thechair, and hooks j projecting from the pivoted legs to engage said links when the back-frame is elevated in its normal position to complete the chair, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

Intestimony whereof Ihavesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

JOHN V. H. DITMARS.

Vitnesses: I

J. F. Aoiinn, Jr., A. B. Moon-n. 

